Bath mat hanger



June 15,` 1965 l .v.wA1 sH 3,189,184

BATH MAT HANGER Filed July 15, i963 BY 72 /5 y 65 1 J fr! G.

-rroRNEY United States Patent O 3,189,184 BATH MAT HANGER Leo V. Walsh, 6023 Arlington Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed July 15, 1963, Ser. No. 294,923

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-45) The present invention relates to a hanger of the type which permits a bath mat to be suspendedvertically or placed in a horizontal position on the oor followed by again lifting the bath mat to a vertical position without the operator stooping or bending to position the bath mat either vertically or horizontally.

It is often difficult for a crippled person, or person suffering from arthritis or other disease, to place a bath mat on the floor and again to lift the same from the floor and my invention provides a simple mechanical device for performing these operations without physical stress or fatigue to a person.

In its simplest embodiment, my invention includes a hanger for detachable engagement with one end of the bath mat, a shaft or stati provided with a hook, and means between the hanger and the shaft whereby the hanger and the bath mat may lie in the same or parallel planes, or in different planes in angular relationship.

An object of my invention is to provide a bath mat hanger of simple construction, inexpensive in cost of manufacture, easily operated, wherein the mat may be quickly separated or detached from the hanger, and generally superior to constructions now known to the inventor.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the hanger of the invention the shaft of which is positioned vertically with respect to a bath mat;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hanger and bath mat, the bath mat being in moved position from that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing a hook construction for the shaft or staff of my invention;V

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partially sectional fragmentary view of means for locking the shaft and the hanger in angular relationship, as shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary partially sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional View of a modied form of the means for locking the shaft or staff in angular relationship to the hanger; and,

FIGURE 8 is a agmentary sectional view on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawing, the invention includes a hanger 1, a shaft or staff 2, and means 3 connecting the hanger 1 and the shaft 2, which when the shaft 2 is turned positions through the means 3, the shaft and hanger in angular position, as illustrated in FIGURE l, or allows the hanger and shaft to lie in substantially the same plane, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

I have, for the purpose of my invention, shown the same in conjunction with a bath mat 4, one end of which may be hemmed at 5 to provide a transverse casing portion, or provided with cloth loops at the header portion for receiving arms 6 and 7 of the hanger 1. While the hanger 1 may be formed of any material desired, I have shown in my present invention, a hanger of wire form and wherein the arms 6 and 7 are inwardly directed and axially aligned, both arms having curved end portions 8 and 9, joining angularly related arms 10 and 11, which arms are bent to provide an intermediate or central U- shaped portion 12. The intermediate U-Shaped portion 3,189,184 Patented June 1 5, 1965 ice provides two arms 13 and 14 which in turn are bent to provide two arms 15 and 16 which lie on the same axis. Normally the arms 13 and 14 are in parallel relationship as shown in FIGURE 4.

The shaft or staff 2 comprises an elongated rod provided at one end with a handle 20 formed for easy gripping and provided with a sleeve 21 carried on the shaft or staff and interposed between the handle 20 and a collar 22 secured by a set screw to the shaft whereby the sleeve may be turned on the shaft. The sleeve carries an outstanding hook23. The lower end of the shaft or staff 2 connects with the means 3 for maintaining the staif either in an upright position as shown in FIGURE 1, or the releasing of same from said position to the position of FIG- URE 2.

I have shown two embodiments of the means3, first, the construction shown in FIGURES 4 and 6 and a second embodiment in FIGURES 7 and 8. The form of the `means 3 shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 includes'a block 30 of rectangular parallelopiped form, although I donot wish to be restricted to this particular shape as other forms are serviceable. A groove 31 lies between a lateral face 32 and a base 33 and the groove extends inwardly of the block 3@ substantially beyond the intermediate width of the base 33, as shown in FIGURE 6. The block is provided with a transverse bore 35 which extends between the top and bottom lateral faces 36 and 37. Bore 35 intersects the groove 31, as shown in FIGURE 4 at 38. The lower end of the shaft 2 is received in the bore 35, as shown in FIGURE 5 and is held in position by means of a collar 40 secured by a set screw to the shaft. Collar 40 bears against the lateral face 36 and maintains the end of the shaft inward of the face 37, as shown. The lower end of the shaft 2 carries a radially extending pin 41 which is secured to the shaft by radially boring the shaft and fitting an end of the pin therein, as shown in FIGURE 4, the pin being receivable within the groove 31 either to extend beyond the base 33 of the block 30 or torbe turned by revolving the shaft so as to lie within the groove at right angles to the face 32. The block 30 is likewise provided with a bore 42 extending inwardly at right angles to the lateral faces 32 and 43 for reception of the arms 15 and 16 of the hanger therein, as shown in FIGURE 4. To maintain the arms 15 and 16 in axial relationship Within the bore 42, a clip 45 is provided. The clip 45 is illustrated in section in FIGURE 6 and is formed to embrace the arms 13 and 14. Thus, referring to FIGURE 6, the clip is formed from a metal strap bent to provide upper and lower portions 46 and 47 of bowed form and interconnected by curved end portions 48 and 49 of curved form for embracing the arms 13 and 14. The lower bowed portion 47 may be severed centrally as shown at 50 and preferably the clip may be of springlike material so that the curved portions 48 and 49 frictionally engage the arms 13 and 14 to prevent free slide movement of the clip on the arms. It will be observed from FIGURE 6 that the pin 41 may be swung outwardly from the groove 31 for engagement with the bowed upper portion 46 of the clip and when this occurs the plane of the hanger is in right angular relationship to the shaft or staff 2, the parts being locked in this position as illustrated in FIGURE 5. When the pin 31 is revolved inwardly of the groove 31, the pin is out of contact with the clip so that the hanger may move from the solid line position of FIGURE 5 to the dotted line position 55.

The modified form of the means 3, shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, comprises two blocks 60 and 61 secured together by a hinge 62 whereby the blocks may be separated as shown in FIGURE 8 for the dotted line position of block 60. In the present instance the blocks and 61 are provided with bores 63 and 64 which align when the blocks are in end-to-end abutting position. The block La 61 is provided with a transverse bore 65 for receiving an end of the shaft 2 and the shaft in this instance is held to block 61 by providing the block 61 with an annular groove 66 within which a key 67 is received, the key being secured to the block`61, as shown at 68. The end of the shaft is provided with ute type threads 69 of a type which parallel the axis of the shaft. The bore 65 intersects a portion of the bore 64 Aas shown in FIGURE 7, and received within the bore 64 is a bolt 70 provided with annular type threads 71. The flute type threads 69 engage the threads 71 and upon turning the shaft, the bolt is moved axially of the bore 64 without rotating the bolt. Thus, the bolt may be moved for reception within the bore 63 of block 69, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 to hold the adjacent end faces of the blocks 69 and 61 in juXta-position and to prevent separation thereof by the hinge 62. The hanger may have the same construction as already described, although the arms 13 and 14 may be reduced as to length, as a clip such as shown at 45 yis not utilized. The block v60 is provided with a transverse bore 72 for receiving the arms 15 and 16 of the hanger.

The operation, uses and advantages of my invention are as follows.

I may use a mat of the bath type or a similar article which may be carried at one end by the hanger arms 6 and 7. The mat to the end may be hemmed so as to provide a casing for the reception of the arms and normally, the device including the shaft, hanger and the member 3 may be hung in a vertical position by the hook 23 engaging a shower curtain rod 80, as shown in FIG- URE 2. When it is desired to use the bath mat, the hook 23 is released from the curtain rod 80 andthe mat spread .in front of the tub and on the floor so as to lie horizontally, followed by rotation of the shaft in one of two directions to position the pin 41 for engagement with the clip 45, as shown in FIGURES 5 and6. This will hold the shaft in angular relationship to the hanger 1, and the mat 4. Such an operation of positioning the mat upon the iloor may be performed without any stooping by the operator. When it is desiredlto remove the mat from its horizontal position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the shaft is rotated so as to position the pin 41 within the groove 31 and out of engagementwith the clip 45. When this occurs the arms and 16 of-the hanger may pivot within the -bore 42 so that the mat will hang vertically when the hook 23 again engages the rod 80.

In the case of the form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 7 and 8, the shaft 2 is rotated so as to turn the same and move the bolt from a fully enclosed 4position within the bores 63 and 64 so that the block 60 can be moved from its full line position of FIGURE 8 to the dotted line position-shown in the same ligure. When this occurs the mat which is carried by a hanger similar to that described, and carried by the block 60, will move to a vertical position. When the mat is lying horizontally upon the floor, the shaft 2 may be rotated to cause the threaded bolt 76 to move within the bores 63 and 64 as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 which will now prevent swinging movement of the two blocks and 61 on the hinge 62. Thus the shaft will be held in a vertical position or substantially at right angles to the plane of the hanger 1. To release the bolt from between the bores of the two blocks, the shaft may be turned which will retract the bolt within the bore 64. As shown in FIG- URE 3, the hook may be revolved on the shaft to position the hanger in a desired position.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, a shaft, a block provided with a bore vfor receiving one end of said shaft, a pin radially carried by the shaft, the block provided with a groove for positioning .the pin within the block and for extension yfrom the block when the shaft is rotated, a hanger and means carried by the hanger for engagement with the pin to maintain the shaftand the hanger in angular relationship when the shaft is rotated to extend the pin.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1: the means carried by the hanger for engagement 4with the pin comprising an enclosing clip carried by the hanger.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a two-part block hinged together, a shaft rotatable in one part of the block, both blocks .providedwith aligned bores, a Ibolt for reception in said bores, the shaft when rotated projecting the bolt between the bores of the two parts of the block to maintain the same in juXta-position and the bolt being retractable when the shaft is turned in a second direction to allow angular hinge movement between the two parts, a hanger pivotally secured to one block whereby suspension of the block by the shaft positions the hanger in a plane parallel with the shaft axis, and when the bolt is received between-the 'bores ofboth parts of the block the handle is maintained at an angle to both blocks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,713 9/79 Goodyear 211-125 1,716,697 6/29 Hunt 15-229 2,091,716 8/37 Petta -15-172 2,200,808 5/40 Purvis l5-228 2,901,759 9/59 Smith 15-147 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. FRANK L. ABBOTT, Eximiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED, A SHAFT, A BLOCK PROVIDED WITH A BORE FOR RECEIVING ONE END OF SAID SHAFT, A PIN RADIALLY CARRIED BY THE SHAFT, THE BLOCK PROVIDED WITH A GROOVE FOR POSITIONING THE PIN WITHIN THE BLOCK AND FOR EXTENSION FROM THE BLOCK WHEN THE SHAFT IS ROTATED, A HANGER AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE HANGER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PIN TO MAINTAIN THE SHAFT AND THE HANGER IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP WHEN THE SHAFT IS ROTATED TO EXTEND THE PIN. 